Kenyon Man Now Faces Murder Charges in Fatal Wrong-Way Crash
Randolph, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Kenyon man is now facing murder charges in connection with a wrong-way crash in September that killed two people.
According to court documents, the deadly head-on collision occurred in the late morning of September 6 on Highway 56 in Randolph, about five miles west of Cannon Falls. Twenty-eight-year-old Seth John Nechville is accused of driving drunk in the wrong direction on the two-lane highway when his pickup truck collided with an SUV traveling in the opposite direction.
Apple Valley Residents Killed in Crash
The two occupants of the SUV, 68-year-old Peter Olson and 49-year-old Patricia Olson of Apple Valley, were pronounced dead at the scene of the fiery crash.
According to the criminal complaint against Nechville, law enforcement officers responding to the crash found the victims’ SUV on fire with catastrophic front-end damage. Passersby had already managed to remove the Olsons from the wreckage and were attempting to administer life-saving measures.
Prior Report About Wrong Way Driver
The court document says passersby identified Nechville as the driver of the pickup. It also states that officers at the scene learned Nechville had been the subject of a complaint to law enforcement about a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction and nearly causing a head-on collision on Highway 56 just moments before the deadly crash occurred.
A crash reconstruction performed by the Minnesota State Patrol found Nechville’s pickup was traveling just under 60 mph at the time of impact and that he did not brake, only beginning to ease off the accelerator slightly before the fatal collision. The reconstruction concluded the primary factor in the deaths of the two victims was Nechville driving north in the southbound lane of Highway 56, likely due to alcohol impairment.
Indications of Impairment
The charges indicate officers detected the odor of alcoholic beverages coming from Nechville and observed other signs of intoxication, including bloodshot and watery eyes. The criminal complaint says officers questioned Nechville, and at the time he denied consuming alcohol the previous night or that morning, but also stated, “I’m hoping to tear into it tonight.”
According to court documents, Nechville later admitted he had been drinking from about midnight to around 2:30 a.m. while he was at home alone. He also told investigators that he did not feel the effects of alcohol but, in hindsight, should not have driven.
Prior DWI's
A blood sample obtained from Nechville was tested by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and showed his blood-alcohol concentration was above .10 approximately two hours after the crash. The criminal complaint also notes he has two prior DWI convictions on his record from 2019 and 2023.
The original complaint filed against Nechville in September charged him with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and one gross misdemeanor DWI count. The complaint has since been amended to elevate the vehicular homicide charges to third-degree murder.
Nechville was released from custody several days after the deadly incident after posting bond to meet his $500,000 bail.
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Gallery Credit: Samm Adams
